Sunday, December 19, 2004

Birthdays and Remembering Robert Urich

Alyssa Milano (32) has gone from Tony Danza's TV daughter to executive producer and star of the WB's Charmed (though I must say the show picks up the hokey sci-fi tradition where Lois & Clark left off). I haven't had much interest since Shannen Doherty left.

Kristy Swanson, the original screen Buffy the Vampire Slayer, turns 35 today.

Jennifer Beals turns 41.

And Detroit Tigers great Al Kaline turns 70.

The original screen Spenser, Robert Urich, was born today in 1946. Once I'd read the Spenser books, I couldn't buy Urich in the role. A college football standout, Urich was big and could play sensitive--both qualities Spenser is supposed to possess. However, Spenser is supposed to have a dry, wisecracking edge as well. (I'm starting to wonder if anyone could play all the aspects of Spenser, who is by design larger than life.)

Urich always seemed sincere onscreen and in life. Having survived a rare form of cancer in 1996, he succumbed to a recurrence in 2002.

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